African Violet – No Blooms

Q: My African violets will not bloom but they are huge! What can be wrong? They just keep getting bigger and bigger but without flowers.

A: The most common reason for African violets to fail to bloom is lack of light. Low light levels would also explain why the plants are so big. The steams and leaves have expanded to scavenge any stray photons they can absorb. Still, it sounds like you don’t have quite enough light to stimulate the flowering you want.

African violets prefer a bright area in the home that does not receive direct sunlight in the afternoon. Place your plants within three feet of large southeast- or southwest-facing windows.

African violets can also be grown indoors under fluorescent lamps. Plants grown entirely under fluorescent lights should be placed six to twelve inches below two 40-watt tubes for sixteen hours per day.